The "censos": a permanent incomes system for church in the territory of Almería in the XVIII century

Abstract

From the documentation of the Cadaster of La Ensenada, the system of “censos” in the current province of Almería is analyzed. The town centre, and the people of its nearby valley is the most important nucleus for this market of capitals and mortgage cessions. The Church, as the main lender, thus obtains permanent incomes, and it generates at the same time an inmobilizing trend, since the oligarchy of the city is the social group to which most of loans are destined. The Crown, through the “Renta de Población” is mainly present in these cessions, too.